On the Fence About Assisted Living? Answer These 40 Questions Now

The Assisted Living decision is a difficult one. There are many contributing factors: physical health, emotional health, safety, activities of daily living, financial and home management. Making the most of life is the primary goal. As a friend explained, "My husband is going to be 80. We're moving in [to a high-rise] while we can still enjoy it."

Years ago, older adults stayed with their families or moved to nursing homes. Today, they move to facilities with support services.

Eliott E. Levy discusses this lifestyle in his paper, "When to Put a Parent in Assisted Living or a Nursing Home," published in the Journal of Behavioral Studies in Business. A fall or stroke can change a loved one's life dramatically, Levy notes. My father-in-law had both. He had a mini stroke, fell down, and was unconscious for an unknown period of time.

Dad kept saying he was okay, but he wasn't. As the months passed, the effects of his stroke spread. Family members were worried sick about him living alone. You may be concerned about a loved one. These questions come from my experience of helping my mother and father-in-law move to Assisted Living. Put a check by the ones you have observed.

Physical and Emotional Health

• Can he or she be trusted to take medications correctly?
• Is the person physically active or sedentary?
• Does he or she eat a balanced diet?
• Does the person rely on high-salt, high-fat frozen food?
• Is the refrigerator stocked with spoiled food?
• Do you think he or she is a safe driver?
• Is he or she living in isolation?
• Does the person look and act depressed?
• Has alcohol become a problem?
• Is the person lacking "common sense"?

Safety

• Is the home in a safe neighborhood?
• Did the person leave a boiling pan on the stove?
• Did he or she forget to turn off the oven?
• Are home traffic patterns clear of clutter?
• Does he or she lost things constantly?
• Have you noticed any bruises from falls?
• Are doors and windows unlocked at night?
• Has the person become forgetful?
• Has he or she been found wandering?
• Can the person still tell time accurately?

Activities of Daily Living

• Does the person forget to comb his or her hair?
• Is the person wearing dirty, stained clothes?
• Can he or she still cook?
• Are dirty dishes piling up in the sink?
• Can the person still do laundry?
• How often does he or she do laundry?
• Is the refrigerator empty?
• Does the home get cleaned regularly?
• Have you seen roaches or mice?
• Did he or she throw out a hearing aid or aids?

Financial and Home Management

• Are unpaid bills piling up?
• Has the person received a warning notice about unpaid bills?
• Can the person still write checks or pay online?
• Has the person's name been referred to a collection agency?
• Does he or she buy clothes that fit? (My mother wore size 18, but kept buying size 8.)
• Is the person spending money he or she doesn't have?
• Has the home fallen into disrepair?
• Does the person give away money or items impulsively?
• Is the person addicted to the lottery or gambling?
• Would the person fall for a scam?

Add more questions to this list if you think of them. How many checks do you see? If there are lots of them, it's time to move into housing that offers support.

Copyright 2012 by Harriet Hodgson

Wellness: Making Time for Self

Perhaps every day is the same as before: your day starts off like a flash and ends in a blur and in between, you drag kids out of bed, fix breakfast, work eight hours, and chauffeur the kids around to different practices. Wait...your day is hardly finished - you still have to fix dinner and help with homework! Now this isn't just regular homework, it's a science project that's due tomorrow and it requires items you don't have in your home...(yes, your child did tell you about it last week). As you rush to the store, the clock doesn't stop. There is so much you need to do and want to do for yourself and your health; however, between the kids, work, household, spouse, there is simply not enough time in the day. Does this sound like your typical day?

At some point or another, we all wish we can turn back the hands of time or add a few extra hours in the day, but that wouldn't be realistic. I ask you, "Would you really utilize that time for yourself or for someone else?" Nine times out of ten, you would fill those extra hours doing something for others.

It's time to face the fact that we only get 24 hours, 1440 minutes in a day...no more. Since we can't change time, here are a few strategies to help you free up some time for yourself.

1. Just say "NO": Let's face it, if you can't do it, don't really want to do it, then don't do it. It's not only going to add to your already overwhelming schedule but it's going to make you an unhappy camper. Be selective about what you spend your time on. You don't have to do everything.

2. Prioritize: Establish a list of your responsibilities - those things that you do day in and day out. As you go through the list, determine which things are most important and which things don't have any value and steal time out of your day. Then prioritize them.

3. Organize: Clean up the clutter and organize yourself. This way you will know what you need to do and when, so you are better prepared and not trying to do a million things in one day. (Remember that science project that you forgot about?) It's always nice to have a family calendar posted. It helps to keep everyone organized so things don't fall through the cracks!

4. Share Responsibilities: Again, you don't have to do everything! Share responsibilities with family members and friends. For example, instead of chauffeuring around the kids to each practice yourself, share the responsibility with another parent on the team. You may feel a little guilty at first; however, you will find that it benefits every involved. You get an opportunity to do something for yourself and your kids get an opportunity to tell you about their practice at dinner. And on your carpool days, you've given another deserving parent some time off.

5. Time for self: This is a big one! You have to make the time for yourself. Make it a part of your daily routine. Make the time to mediate, read a book, or workout. Put it on the family schedule in BOLD LETTERS. Work around the day and time you have scheduled and don't let anything get in the way of it. Remember to "Just Say No"!

The bottom line is that your life will be more fulfilling if you did a little something for yourself on a regular basis. Not only you will be happy, but your family will be happy. Remember...When mommy is happy, everyone is happy!

Finding a Hip Surgeon - Hip Replacements

Many men and women are seeking out a hip surgeon when they are facing the possibility of having to replace this very important joint in the body. Although it is not a good thing to rush into this type of treatment too soon, most people will find that getting this procedure when it is necessary, is one of the best ways to improve the way you feel. In fact, once this joint does wear down, it can be very painful to do anything, including walking or sitting. Getting treatment can help to restore your function and give you the ability to live your life the way you want to do so again.

Find a Professional You Trust

When you are looking for a hip surgeon, there are many things to think about and look for in these professionals. You want someone that is licensed and knowledgeable. You also want to find someone that has the means of using the latest technology and procedures to help improve your overall health. Ensure the person you contact is someone with enough experience to help you through the process to achieve the best possible outcome. Get to know the person's experience and abilities before you decide to hire them.

What to Expect

One of the most common concerns people have when meeting these surgeons is that they will not get individual care. You may be surprised to learn that most surgeons will delay this process for as long as possible. It is a good idea to prolong getting this procedure until it is not possible to wait any longer. That is because these replacements do not last the rest of your life. If you get the surgeries too soon, you could end up having to redo them too soon. Do not expect for the surgeons to schedule a procedure right away. Most will want to ensure you have used every option that is non-surgical for treatment first.

Your Consultation

The first step in the process is to go through a consultation. This initial meeting with your doctor will provide you with more information and it will give you a good deal of advice on what your options are. You will learn if you should have surgery, when and what it will entail as well. This is the best time to ask questions, too.

A hip surgeon is the person to talk to when you are considering a replacement. Do not prolong talking to these professionals because doing so will delay your overall health. You will likely feel significantly better once you get this treatment completed. It may give you a whole new outlook on life.

While Purchasing Hospital Medical Supplies

Medical supplies are items where you cannot take a risk while purchasing. There are different factors that you need to be careful about such as their quality, date of expiry, company that manufactured the products, their usability by all patients, etc. Besides checking these factors you also have to ensure that these hospital medical supplies have the approval of the authorities and have passed the standards required.

Today, hospital medical supplies are not confined to just medicines and syringes. They include items for diagnosis like blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, viscosurgical devices, strength and fitness measuring instruments, stethoscopes, thermometers and a lot more instruments to check the different conditions of the body; clothing items such as masks, surgical gloves and gowns; exercise items; dental supplies and many more products.

While items like beds and cots are reusable, most of the medical supplies in a hospital cannot be reused as there are chances of infections spreading. Ironically, though hospital is the place where a disease is treated and cured, it is also a place where one can be affected by a disease due to the presence of many numbers of patients here. You might not be able to prevent infections through air but the least you could do is prevent disease causing germs from spreading through the various hospital medical supplies. The easiest way to do this is to use disposable medical items and ensure that they are properly disposed off after their first use.

For products to be used in a hospital a proper quality check is a must. They have to be manufactured as per the regulations of the medical authorities and used before the date of their expiry. For this, it is important that you purchase these items from a reputed supplier who is known to you and is reliable. Buying all the products from a single supplier is highly recommended as repeated purchases build the trust between the buyer and seller. Besides, you can also pre-order the items and be notified of the arrival of new items before the stock is over. This way you never run the risk of not finding the items you need, especially at the time of emergency.

Most hospital medical supplies are expensive and since they are bought in multiple numbers, the rate tends to go higher. If you buy from the same supplier, there are chances that you may get discounts and promotional offers. This is often the case when you purchase these items from online stores. However, whether you are purchasing online or offline, the main factor that you need to remember is that the items you buy can make a difference to a person's health and his life. Keeping this in mind will help you pick out the best hospital medical supplies always.